88 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I07 



borders, in relationship to modern transportation. The request was 

 turned down on pohcy. 



6. THE ETHNOGEOGRAPHIC PROBLEMS OF THE WEST COAST 

 OF SOUTH AMERICA 



7. THE EFFECT OF THE CASTE SYSTEM IN INDIA UPON 

 CURRENT POLITICAL PROBLEMS 



At the first meeting of the Board in August 1942 three problem 

 conferences were suggested for immediate promotion. The first, 

 No. 6, above, was considered appropriate for the American Museum 

 of Natural History, since members of its staff had visited practically 

 every part of the west coast of South America from Panama to Tierra 

 del Fuego. The second, No. 7 above, might be sponsored by the 

 University of Chicago. The third was the Conference on Bolivian 

 Indians, which was carried out at Yale University. Nothing more 

 was ever done about the first two in spite of the apparent success 

 of the one trial. 



8. CHECK LIST OF JAPANESE JOURNALS 



Comdr. George Peter Murdock asked the Board to compile a 

 check list of Japanese journals with articles on Micronesia which 

 should be abstracted for the Cross-Cultural Survey files on that area. 

 The Board sent its regrets because no Japanese scholars were available 

 for the job. 



9. BIOLOGY OF THE JAPANESE 



Paul Benedict proposed a series of research studies on the biology 

 of the Japanese. The Board considered this to be outside of its field 

 of activity. 



10. RACE PROBLEMS 



The Director proposed naming a committee of biological and social 

 scientists to explore the broad implications of race questions, and 

 prepare a report which would correct the current misstatements and 

 emotional attitudes. The Board members felt that no change in emo- 

 tional attitudes of the Nation would result from such a report. 



II. CONFERENCE ON INSTRUCTION FOR POSTWAR ADMINISTRATION 



The Chairman of the Board urged the calling of a conference of 

 university administrators and Military Government officers to co- 

 ordinate the instruction in postwar administration. The Board was 



